Advantages

Disadvantages

Bobs Earth Day Espadrilles

The Shoes= = = = = The shoes I am reviewing are made by Skechers and are called Bobs Earth Day Shoes. I am going away soon and I wanted some decent flat shoes that I would be able to wear during the day when walking about. I didn't want to live in trainers all the time whilst I was away (despite having many pairs) so I thought these would look great with jeans, leggings and even shorts and they looked really comfortable as well. The shoes are like espadrilles which seem to be in fashion for the summer and I have seen this style of shoes in many different shops including TopShop, Primark and New Look. These particular shoes have a canvas fabric upper and are slip on shoes with stitching detailing to them. The shoes are slip on meaning they are easy to put on and take off and they have a gorgeous tucked in toe pleat detail to them. The shoes have a canvas overlay on the front and heel and has a BOBs logo tag on the back and side of the shoe which stands out against the canvas fabric. There is a small triangle panel on the top panel of the shoe which stretches for comfort and fit and they have a lovely fabric shoe lining which feels soft. The insole to the shoes is made from genuine leather and is a light brown colour. There is a pillow section for the arch of your feet meaning that they feel much more comfortable when walking in them also will also provide support for the arches of your feet. The leather insole has the style and the size of the shoe printed inside and it also says 'Helping the World'. There is also a small logo/picture of two feet together with a heart in the centre of it. The shoes have a low profile shock absorbing midsole and have a flexible traction outsole. The tread on the sole has a slight pattern to it but doesn't look as though it would provide much of a grip. (These aren't the type of shoes you can wear in wet weather anyway!).

The shoes comes in a brown cardboard box which looks as though its made from recycled card. The box is quite small and on the front it tells you a little about the shoes and what Skechers do each time you purchase a pair of Bobs. On the side of the box it has a few pictures of different children and it also says 'Helping the World'. When you open the box you will see that the shoes are wrapped in white tissue paper so protect the shoes and stop them getting marked when in transit. There is a good amount of paper to protect the shoes and each shoe is wrapped in its own tissue. There is a round piece of cardboard in the toe of the shoe to ensure they hold their shape and there is a plastic pole which also this in place. In the box is also a brown piece of card with some information on about them donating a pair of shoes every time a pair of Bobs is purchased. The thing I liked about the shoes is they looked comfortable and also summery and would go with a wide range of different outfits. I range between a size 5-6 in shoes and I am normally more towards a size 6 so I purchased these first. When I tried these on they were far too big so sent them back to exchange them for a size 5 instead. These were a much better fit so I decided to keep them and hoped that I would get a good amount of use out of them this year or if not this year, next year. Although the shoes come in a range of different colours I purchased a black pair and also a white pair.

The Philosophy is Simple= = = = = = = = = = = =For every pair of Bobs shoes you buy you also give a pair of shoes to a child in need. Skechers are a lifestyle footwear leader and also a trusted brand around the globe. Skechers have taken all of this to heart and inspired by good deeds of others, they believe they can make an impact that's unsurpassed - reaching more children worldwide than ever before. The Bobs collection was born for this purpose; from its concept to its design and lasting appeal. I didn't know about this before buying the shoes, how-ever I think this is a brilliant idea and it's nice to know that from buying a pair of these shoes I am also helping a child to get a new pair of shoes.

Price/Availability = = = = = = = = I purchased my shoes from www.very.co.uk for £25.00. They have the blue, black and navy available to purchase on the Very website. You can also purchase the shoes from various other websites including the Skechers website. The shoes are priced at £31.00 on the Skechers website and they come in a range of different colours including:

* White* Black* Natural* Blue* Red * Grey

The shoes are available to purchases in sizes 2-8.You can also purchase slightly different styled shoes which look similar but are made from patterned/textured material. The plain ones appealed to me the most and would go with most outfits which is why I decided to buy these.

Wearing the Shoes= = = = = = = = =As the shoes are made from a canvas material they obviously aren't suitable for wet weather, so I would have to wait a few days to wear them, when I knew the weather was going to improve. The day had come when I could finally wear my Bob's and I couldn't wait. I was going to be wearing them to work so would be in them for a good 8hrs at least, if not longer. I have a 15min walk from the bus stop to work at least so I could really put these to the test and see how comfortable they were. Although I purchased a white & black pair I decided to wear the black pair today with some blue skinny jeans and a black vest top. I found the shoes extremely comfortable and easy to walk in. The shoes looked great on and went really well with the skinny jeans I was wearing. These would actually look great with a number of different outfits including shorts and leggings. I have to admit that the shoes were a lot more comfortable than I was expecting and my feet felt slightly cushioned as I walked in them. I could feel the cushioned section under the arch of my foot and this felt really comfortable. The shoes were a perfect fit without feeling too tight around the toes. When wearing flat shoes I sometimes find that my feet can hurt later on in the day or even the day after, how-ever I was impressed that my feet felt fine all day and didn't ache or hurt, not even a little a bit. I hate to admit it but I often find myself suffering from sweaty feet in other shoes but my feet stayed nice and cool in these and didn't feel hot or sweaty at any time during the day which was really good. The most obvious thing on the shoes which stands out is the 'Bobs' embroided label on the back of the shoes. At first I wasn't too sure if I liked this on the back, how-ever it didn't really bother me in the end. As the shoes are made from a canvas material the black one's do show up any dust or dirt very slightly, how-ever I found that this can be wiped off with a damp cloth and they look as good as new again. The white shoes look great and are very summery looking; how-ever I am always extra careful when wearing these as I don't want the actual material to get dirty in fear that it won't come off. Although the sole of the shoes doesn't seem that thick and look a little cheap to me, they actually have very little wear to them, despite wearing the shoes a few times. In terms of grip I don't think the shoes would provide much grip, how-ever as you can only wear them in dry weather I don't think they need to have a huge amount of grip on them anyway.

Overall Opinion= = = = = = = =I only recently got into liking espadrille style shoes as I purchased some from Topshop last year and took them back after hating the fit and the style of these. I now love the style and look of espadrilles and especially love the comfort and style of these Skechers Bobs. I like that the shoes come in other colours such as red & natural and not just neutral colours such as black and white. Although I'm not really used to wearing shoes like this, I found them really comfortable and a perfect fit, even when wearing them for the first time. I haven't got any sores or blisters from wearing the shoes which some people often get with new shoes or shoes that they aren't used to wearing. In terms of value I think the shoes are very reasonable as they are made well, are good quality and also very comfortable. Although I already have a white & black pair I am now tempted to purchase the navy blue and the natural colour as well as I love these shoes and the fact that they are so comfortable to wear. The only downside to the shoes is that they are not waterproof so they will become damp/wet if you happen to get caught in the rain. How-ever as these are summer shoes most people would have more sense than to wear them out in wet weather anyway. I would definitely recommend these to other people, especially if you are looking for a nice pair of summer shoes that are comfortable and yet stylish.

(review also on ciao)

Comments

Advantages

Disadvantages

Nice break from ballet pumps

I bought these last year when I was looking for some summer shoes that weren't ballet pumps and I didn't want sandals either (I don't like to have my toes on display), but I needed something lightweight and cool (in both senses of the word) for my 3 school runs every day.

Made from a soft canvas type material on top and a comfy sole which is about 1cm thick, it doesn't feel like you are walking directly on the concrete, there is some cushioning there. They are extremely comfy to wear, I LOVE wearing mine, in fact I wear them all the time. They actually stay on my feet and don't slop around like those god awful ballet pumps that everyone seems to be sporting these days. The canvas around the top completely covers the top of your feet, so you are not at risk of sunburn either.

One thing I will point out is that they are not water repellent in the slightest, if you even get a sniff of rain your feet will end up wet, and the soles are extremely slippery - when I first bought them I must have had a maybe 3 or 4 near misses where I have slipped because the soles were so slippery, especially in wet or icy conditions (yes I have worn them throughout Winter!) Also the soles have some sort of canvas covering which starts coming away as soon as you start wearing them, which leaves you with a messy bits hanging out from the sides, unless you trim them down.

I've had mine for about 8 months now, and I will admit they are beginning to look a bit worse for wear, but I have worn them almost every day, they are currently my main footwear. But the fact that they are made from flimsy material, and are non waterproof, I think they have done remarkably well. I'm hoping to get the rest of the summer out of them before my husband becomes too embarrassed to be seen with me.

One last thing, the sizing is big - I'm normally an 8, but I had to buy a 7 which still have plenty of room for my humongous feet.

Available on Amazon for between £20 and £35 (I got them a lot cheaper!)

Comments

Advantages

Disadvantages

Stylish Bobs ideal for warmer weather.

So I pretty much have a different type of shoe for a different task with summer requiring the most pairs; I like small shoes for wearing with shorts ie. pumps etc., smart shoes and then larger trainers for use with trousers. I am not one big into fashion and generally just go for anything that takes my fancy and matches my outfit.

I remember seeing these canvas espadrilles in places like Peacocks and thought they looked a little cheap and like the top may peel from the sole but I liked the summary look. I then saw Toms version; I actually saw the mens ones and thought they looked a little odd on men if I'm quite honest. I was flabbergasted by the price tag which was £35 in my local department store so was put off on the idea of these shoes. By chance I was looking at the Skechers website and came across Bobs which are like Toms but cheaper and come in a tremendous range of styles.

Bobs were created by Skechers to help children worldwide with a campaign that involves donating one pair of shoes to a child in need for every pair of Bobs purchased. So far Skechers have been able to donate over 3 million shoes to children in need; this is an amazing thing to happen from buying a pair of shoes which you need anyway.

I ordered my Skechers from the website and they cost me £20 plus £3.99 delivery however, they are currently available at departments stores and online from many retailers. They arrived in a plastic bag wrapping with the shoe box inside and the shoes were quite well wrapped.

My Bobs are a denim type design on the upper which is made from a type of canvas material, its a soft textured but sturdy upper. My type of Bobs have a flexible rubber flat sole with leather insole with supports for the heel. The shoe has the distinct tucked toe design with stitching accents and the diagonal front seam detail which goes across the front of the foot area. The Bobs logo is in blue on the back of the heel and on the side seam area. The inside is cushioned to make the shoe more comfortable and the elastic panels to the front make it easy to slip the shoe on and off with a comfortable fit.

When I picked the shoes out of the box for the first time I was impressed at the lightness and thought they would be ideal for summer as they did not look like they would make my feet sweaty. The shoes seemed better quality than the non branded pairs I had seen and the sole looked turdy enough for my way of walking which often leaves the heels wearing away.

I am a size 6.5 to 7 in shoe sizes and found that a size 7 in the Bobs shoe seemed the most appropriate, they do appear a little narrow but I have thin feet anyway so this is not a problem for me. Upon first weraing I found that the edges rubbed my ankle a little but after a few days of 'wearing in' they settled down a little but I often find the Skechers brand do this to me. When worn outside they are really light and ideal for warmer weather (not the cold as your feet feel like blocks of ice!). The sole is slim and not for walking on gravel as I could feel every lump and bump but on the pavement they are not too bad but can feel like my feet are pounding the ground.

The shoes do not provide any kind of weather protection and would not be ideal in the rain or snow as they are not waterproof.

I would not recommend weraing the shoes without some sort of socks, when I wear them with shorts I put in sports socks just to stop the seams and edges rubbing my feet or leaving marks on them. Also socks help to prevent any smells from getting into the fabrics.

The shoes are ideal to wera with skinny jeans and shorts as they are a small and slim shoe which would be drowned by anything too heavy. I can imagine the shoe would be quite ideal for holiday travel due to the small and light nature to shove in an over night bag.

I do recommend these shoes as they were £20 and some are now cheaper at £10 and as Skechers donate a pair of shoes to a child in need per pair bought I think this is incentive enough. There are many styles and colours available for both men and women so there is something suited to all.